- Product is very weak; there's a reason the ad packages are cheap; videos and ads are sloppily put together and placed on the news stations website; ads are hard to finds since people must go through several steps in order to see the spot; prices are just created randomly and have nothing to do with the amount of potential outreach;product does not sell itself; there's a reason customer churn is so high - Potential customers are misled, many salespeople have no hesitation giving information that's not entirely true (geo-targeting, launch, exclusivity, SEO benefits, etc.), just to get the sale; management turns a blind eye -"Don't let them get off the phone until you have their credit card digits and they sign the contract. If they don't want to sign, tell them you have someone one else waiting to buy it." -- That's the mentality at DataSphere - Only about 20-25 percent of people receive a commission check (if you hit 100 percent of quota); the rest make $15.62 per hour (before taxes) and pretty much wait to get fired or find another job (it's really hourly, even though they claim it's a salaried position, so keep that in mind) - Workplace is extremely loud; at any given time you'll hear at least four different songs blasting through the radio and people yelling. It's fun at first, but gets old very quickly - A lot of the managers are not trained to be managers; only job I've ever had where my manager just walks around, talks it up with other managers, surfs the web, and once in a while barge in on a call to supposedly help you (without even listening to the call from the beginning) - Advancement is limited (if you make quota); promotion to the next level consists of business cards, a slight bump in pay and new chair - Extremely high employee turn over; if managers like you, they'll try to keep you even if you don't hit quota, but that only buys you an extra month or two. If they don't like you very much and you don't hit quota, you'll be done in a few months -Benefits are a joke

Advice to Management

- Hire managers with management and leadership qualities - HR needs to be identify candidates who have the opportunity to in this field succeed. Stop going with the "see if it sticks method"

-Young, energetic workforce helps promote a fun atmosphere -Casual attire -Provided you can perform your job/hit your metrics/meet any set expectations, you can get away with a lot -Fairly easy to transfer to a different department and possibly change the course of your own career -Honestly met some of the most interesting, funny people here in my life.

Cons

-Working with a lot of other 20-somethings also means "often loud and downright obnoxious workspaces" -Most of the customer-facing/servicing positions are basically entry-level in terms of qualifications, work detail and pay, so you can get bored and demotivated quickly if you're truly skilled. -Micromanagement is rampant; most departments require their employees to adhere to strict schedules -Opportunities for advancement w/in specific departments is a bit limited. Most people "advance" by outright transferring to another department; otherwise, if you're interested in developing your career w/in a specific field or skill set, it might not happen there.

Advice to Management

Loosen the reins and treat everyone like adults. I've seen many talented employees stifled while less-deserving ones skate by for too long because the babysitting that masquerades as "managing" in some circles only serves to unnecessarily level the playing field. Free lunches and the occasional party is cool and all, but I'd trade most if not all of that for more flex scheduling, less micromanagement, and other examples of trust being placed in us which can help mitigate any dissatisfaction in pay and instill more loyalty among the employees.